Dairy advocacy group Dairy Connect has taken its campaign against plant-sourced extracts to a new level, with a Change.org online petition targeting food and consumer product regulators across Australia.

The petition seeks public support for the appropriate enforcement of consumer labelling of dairy milk and other dairy products and of plant-sourced alternatives.

“We have seen a rise in the number of dairy-imitations made from non-dairy goods,” he said.

“We believe that this has been the source of confusion among consumers, some of whom equate the great nutritional benefits of cows’ milk with the plant drink alternatives,” Morgan said.

Dairy Connect said as per the traditional definition by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, milk was a liquid drink derived from the mammary secretions of milking animals.

The benefits of truth in labelling for consumers include:

A clearer distinction between the two product types, including potential presence of allergens or intolerances;

Greater consumer awareness about the nutritional variations between traditional fresh dairy milk and plant drinks describing themselves as milk, and

Greater clarity regarding the methods of formulation used in the two different categories

Morgan said this year, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled in favour of the need to differentiate between dairy products and plant=derived products.

“In light of this, we would like to see Australia keep up with the progressive dairy labelling laws in overseas markets, and we support the initiatives being progressed in Europe and the United States,” he added.

“We encourage members of the community and industry stakeholders to show their support for dairy farmers by signing the petition and sharing the campaign,” Morgan said.